Because of You
by Areh
Summary: You have come into a hard world. I know of only one easy place in it, and that is the grave. Hermione/Draco
1. So Normal

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters. That rightfully belongs to J.K. Rowling and her wide imagination I one day wish to have.

**Summary:** You can't shatter what's already broken. But this heart seeks for the one thing that will make it whole. Can Hermione pick up the pieces and start new? Or will she look for help in all the wrong places?

Please excuse any misspellings or grammar mistakes. I accept any type of reviews, especially the ones that support me and help me out with my story. Flames are accepted, apparently.

Enjoy!

**Because of You**

**Chapter One: The Return**

It had been an echo from the previous years before. It was her normal routine upon arriving to school. She felt as if her life would never change. Something new would happen to her, something exciting. Maybe she would exceed beyond her goals for the future. Or maybe she would fall in love, and be loved back. If only…

But there she sat in her normal seat, in the normal train, going to her normal school of witchcraft and wizardry, with her normal friends. She looked out the window like she usually did the passed six years.

The quiet chatter coming from her three friends. Then there was the cheery voice from the aged woman pushing around the trolley from compartment to compartment. Ron, a boy she befriended her first year, jumped up excitedly at the idea of candy. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him rustling through his pockets to buy the new and improved candies.

Hermione sighed, patiently waiting for the train to come to a stop. It seems like hours since they took off. A single kiss and hug from each of her parents, hugs from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and hellos from her friends. It had seemed so familiar to the years before.

"Ey, Hermione! Do you have another sickle I could borrow? I swear I'll play you back!" An all too familiar voice spoke from across the compartment. Her eyes scanned for him and saw him standing up next to the impatient woman.

Hermione reached into her bag that sat between her two feet on the floor. She took out a smaller suede bag and pulled out two sickles. "Here," she replied, "Keep the other for the next round."

"Thanks, Mione."

She let a heavy breath out of her lips and she leaned back against the soft leather on the chair. Her eyes closed and she soon drifted off into a slumber, hoping never to wake up. But like always, she did.

**Malfoy's Compartment**

"Holy crap, this ride is to damn long!" stated Blaise Zabini, a sixth year boy in Slytherin. "We should just apparate there." He had dark black hair and dark brown eyes. He was about 5'8 and well fit. He also had a slight Italian accent.

A giggle was heard from the other side of their compartment, "Yes, we should. But of course you know Dumbledore is a fucking git and won't let that." said a shorter female named Pansy, also in sixth year Slytherin. She had shorter black hair and dull blue eyes. Her face structure was similar to a pig's. She had a pointed up nose, beady eyes and a big mouth.

Pansy had her head on another boy's arm and her leg on top of his. Her skirt rode up slightly and her shirt pulled too low, trying to get as much attention as possible. The boy she leaned on had platinum blonde hair and grey eyes. He was also about 5'9 and well fit. His green and silver tie hung around his neck and the top buttons of his shirt were undone. This was Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin Sex God.

He snickered, "He's just afraid that Voldemort will come and eat up little Potty and his two friends, Weasel and the Mudblood." The compartment burst out laughing at this statement towards their rivals from Gryffindor; Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"Oh look, we're finally here! About time…" Remarked Pansy again.

**Harry's Compartment**

"Hermione" A gentle voice came, "Wake up, we're here." She opened her eyes to meet gazing blue eyes. Hermione groaned slightly before sitting up and rubbing her swollen eyes. A yawn escaped her mouth.

"Hurry up and put your robes on! Everyone is leaving." Another voice came, more masculine than the last. Ginny helped the sleepy girl up and grabbed her bag.

"Harry, why didn't you wake me up earlier? You know I'm a prefect and my duties are to help the new first years to the boats with Hagrid. If Professor McGonagall hears about this she'll be so disappointed, oh what am I waiting for? Where's my trunk?" Hermione rambled on, trying to sound as normal as possible.

Ginny giggled as Ron reappeared into their compartment. "You looked like you needed some rest, so we let you snooze for the extra ten minutes." Harry replied, grabbing her trunk from the wrack above. She quickly grabbed her red and black robe and threw it on, not caring if it remained unbuttoned and wrinkled. They all walked out of the train and put their luggage with the rest. Ron and Hermione walked off with the other prefects to continue on their duties from last year.

"We'll see you guys in the Great Hall for dinner!" Yelled Ron, the red headed boy with many freckles. They all waved and went their separate ways.

The group of prefects gathered up the first years and introduced them to Hagrid as they were told to. They all grouped up into boats and rowed to Hogwarts. Upon arriving, Hermione quickly jumped out of her boat and onto land, directing the young ones inside.

Once entered, Professor McGonagall thanked the prefects from each house and turned to give a speech to the first years. Hermione and Ron trotted into the filled great hall. The ceiling was designed as light clouds and snow was falling all around them, but disappeared once it came close to their heads.

Ron walked off to sit with Harry and his sister, Ginny. But Hermione stayed back and waited for her Professor. Her eyes crept around towards the falling flakes. Her hand extended as she tried to catch one in her tiny palm. Her pointy fingers we're so tiny that three small flakes fell onto her fingertip. Hermione giggled as she put her hand to her side again, welcoming the first years looking around in amazement.

This all seemed to familiar to when she was eleven…

Hermione sighed yet again, and started to walk back to her table. She held tightly onto her open bag which carried her notebooks and summer projects. She would kill herself if the elves had lost this when bringing up her baggage.

Looking straight ahead and deep in thought, she did not notice the group of people following her. A foot had reached in front of hers, making her stumble and soon fall to the floor. She dropped her bag and fell onto her back. Her papers scattered everywhere as the group laughed loudly at her. She quickly grabbed various parchments as they flew everywhere.

That same group walked passed her, stepping on her work with their muddy shoes. A tear escaped her eye and ran down her cheek as she saw her work get stepped all over. Why did they do this to her?

"Malfoy! You slimy git, look what you and your mob of retards did." Yelled Ron as he got out of his seat quickly. Harry also rushed over and helped pick up her notebooks that were scattered around. "You've got some nerve!" Harry yelled, too.

"That's funny, Potter, for a second I thought you were talking to me! But then I thought: how could such a low life scar-faced bastard have the nerve to talk to _me_?" Malfoy's posse all laughed and walked off with him, not giving Harry time to respond and defend himself.

"You okay, Mione?" Asked Ron as he, too, got on the floor and helped retrieve her things.

"Yes," she replied very quietly. She sniffled and rubbed her nose, "I'm fine. He's just so mean to me. I hate him!" Harry and Ron nodded at this. "Look at this! Everything is ruined. My summer projects are destroyed. The Professors will think so badly of me when I don't hand anything in. Oh, what do I do! I need to rewrite some of these, but that will take forever." Hermione rambled on again. Harry put a finger to her lips to quiet her, and smiled.

"It's okay Hermione. I don't think they'll mind if you don't hand in one assignment. I think all think the extra ones you already do are enough."

All three stood up after packing everything safely back into her bag. The two boys tried not to talk about what had happened that much. They were afraid she might get upset again.

"So... Mione how was your summer?" Asked Ron, "We invited you to stay at the Burrow, why didn't you come?"

_Because he wouldn't let me go._ "I was busy doing my work, you know that Ronald." Hermione rubbed her eye as they became very heavy. The Headmaster of their school stood up, asking for silence.

A small speech was heard from him, then the dividing of the first years into houses, and then dinner. Hermione didn't eat much, there was too much on her mind. A question had resided in her head and she couldn't get it out.

_He was right, I'm just so normal. Why can't I just be good enough for anyone?_

"You didn't eat much." Harry pointed out with a concerned look on his face. Hermione faked a smile and stared into his bright green eyes. "I ate a lot before I left, so I'm not really that hungry. Oh Ron, we should leave now! The first years are waiting." She replied quickly then running off.

"That's our Hermione! Always rushing- Give me a second before I choke on my food!- she never takes her time- I said I'll be right there!- I can't stand it sometimes- OKAY! I'm coming, I'm coming!" Ron tried to talk to Harry, but Hermione had been pulling at his arm and motioning for him to come. "I'll see you in the dorms, mate." He added in before being dragged away by Hermione.

"If only I could say that she was our Hermione. But today… she just wasn't." Harry spoke to himself. He walked off to his dorm and went straight to bed, not waiting for Ron like he had asked. What was so different about Hermione this year?

**The Slytherin Common Room**

"They just shouldn't be allowed in this school. Dumbledore is such an idiot." Blaise remarked, referring to muggleborns.

"I agree, don't you Drakey?" Pansy said and she attached her arms to Draco's. They all were sitting on the green velvet couches in the Slytherin common room. Draco had the burden of Pansy next to him. "Don't call me that" He replied before pushing her off and standing up.

"What's your problem?" Pansy yelled, now angered by his attitude. "You're my problem; just leave me the fuck alone!" Draco yelled in return, now walking off to his room quietly. What _was_ his problem? Maybe he was just in a bad mood.

"Asshole!" He heard Pansy mumble before he slammed his the door to the boy's dormitory. He dropped his pants and jumped into bed. He needed some serious rest.

"Well thank goodness it's a fucking Friday!" Draco said to himself. He closed his eyes and soon drifted off to sleep.

**Author's Note:** So, how was it? This is my first Harry Potter fic ever, let alone Hermione/Draco. The plot is really unknown to me right now. I'm just trying to make everything work in one story. I hope this works. Please support me into writing more if you think I should. I really don't like updating when no one reads my story. So please review and let me know that you care! All reviews are accepted. Please and thank you! ;D

_Ari_


	2. Be My Father

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters. That rightfully belongs to J.K. Rowling and her wide imagination that I one day wish to have.

**Summary:** You can't shatter what's already broken. But this heart seeks for the one thing that will make it whole. Can Hermione pick up the pieces and start new? Or will she look for help in all the wrong places?

**Authors Note:** Sorry for the long wait. Regents, finals, tests; whatever you call them have been taking my time up greatly. Also there is the disturbance of _writer's block_. Now that it's summer I hope I can update more for everyone. I have had so many ideas for this story that I have a notebook full of them. Now that I'm free of school I can finally add them to the story. Please leave a review or flame, whatever you choose.

Please excuse any misspellings or grammar mistakes. I accept any type of reviews, especially the ones that support me and help me out with my story. Flames are accepted, apparently.

Enjoy!

This story is beta'd by Optical Illusion. Thank you so much!

**Because of You**

**Chapter Two: Be a Father**

Bad news seemed to be the only thing that he discovered in his life. A simple envelope from his black owl was attached to its foot. It was enclosed with a tiny note saying 'Come home.' This was never good news.

Upon arriving home he realized there was an absence in his house. No noise was heard, only the silence from the halls and the cold feeling from the thick walls. He was told his mother was murdered by local Aurors that was searching the town. She had been sick in bed at the time, having just received a message from the Dark Lord. Her mark that resided upon her left arm began to burn and stung. She jumped out of bed, clutching herself before the bedroom door was thrown open.

Lucius Malfoy ran inside the room, yelling for his wife to hide. More pain and spread across Nacrissa's body at that point. He realized it and ran to her side. But, it was too late by then. Aurors now flooded the room, looking around for any mysterious things. Upon looking, they found a woman clutching the Dark Mark.

She was immediately grabbed and taken out of the house. She put up a fight; she must return to her master, he was calling her. Nacrissa whipped out her wand and cast 'Crucio' on the man and woman holding her down. Everyone started fighting her and through the dust that had risen up on the spot Nacrissa was found unmoving and breathless. Someone had cast 'Avada Kedarva' on her while she wasn't paying attention.

Of course Lucius ran out. Before he could do anything to anyone, he was grabbed and permitted to stay quiet.

Draco could not believe witches and wizards who were supposed to be helping the world killed one of their own. He realized they discovered she was a Death Eater, but she had a fair chance at defending herself.

He now walked into the study where his father remained for quite some time. They left together in silence and returned in the same matter.

The funeral went well. Many people arrived and left their blessing. Most said 'Poor woman, she was so young,' or 'Never had a chance at the world.' Everyone tried to comfort Draco and his father but nothing could quite do the trick. Soon the burial sight cleared out leaving him, his father and a couple of close family members.

Draco and Lucius walked together in silence, neither bringing up the courage to say something to one another. Finally words were spoken, it was bound to happen.

"Of course, you know this means you will be taking your mother's spot for the Dark Lord's wishes." Lucius said in a low voice. A man came up to him and wished them both luck and told them how wonderful a person Nacrissa was. They both shook his hand and thanked him for coming before they both were alone once again.

"He will contact you in a few days." He continued, "You should start getting ready. You'll only be gone a day or two so I'll contact Dumbledore and tell him it's just some family business. You are to tell no one about this, not even your fellow Slytherins."

Draco said nothing, but merely walked in silence next to his father. "Draco? Are you listening to anything I am saying?" He spat, an angry emotion flashing across his face. Draco stopped walking, his head looking down onto the floor. His eyes were covered by the blonde hair that hung over his face. His body shook as a sob escaped his throat. _How could he be so heartless?_

"Son, stop crying!" Whispered Lucius rudely, looking around and making sure no one was watching.

His mother was gone. Gone... _forever_! The only person that actually cared for him would never return to the Malfoy Manor again. She was the one person that would comfort him when his father yelled, or when he had trouble in school. She was the one person he would confide in without being yelled at or hit. She never hurt him in anyway, and he respected that greatly. But now that was all gone and his father didn't even care the least bit. He saw sorrow in Lucius' eyes; his wife was really his one true love. They had such care for each other when they were first married. But that all changed when Voldemort came into the picture.

How could she be gone? His mother, mom, mommy, mistress, whatever you may call her was gone. This fact was something that hit Draco badly. So bad, that he gave up and cried. He cried in front of his father, in front of the one man that wanted him to be stern and serious.

"Draco, _stop_!" Spat his father again. "If you don't I--" His words were interrupted by two arms that had grasped his side. He looked down at his son who now had his head buried in his chest and his arms wrapped around him. His son was… hugging him…

"Please," sobbed Draco, "What I need you to be right now is my father… not Voldemort's right hand." More tears emitted from Draco's eyes and now wet his father's expensive robes.

There was silence between the two for a moment before something shocking happened. Lucius Malfoy wrapped his own arms around Draco. Lucius Malfoy had hugged his son.

**Hogwarts**

"You just don't understand, do you?" Hermione huffed, as she waked up to the Gryffindor tower along with Ron and Harry. Her pace quickened as they arrived on the appropriate floor and the two boys followed.

"We would if we were mental, maybe." Ron retorted, rolling his eyes some. He nudged Harry's arm as he whirled his finger in the air next to his head. Harry let out a laugh and grinned.

"What are you two laughing about back there? Ah, just hurry up!" Hermione yelled with somewhat of a motherly voice. "Anyway, I don't get how it's so hard to understand. He doesn't want to send letters out to the Head Girl and Boy because they wouldn't know what to do when they arrived here. Prefects don't have much of a job since they just take orders from everyone. The Head's _make_ the orders and tell the students and younger staff what to do. Professor Dumbledore will probably announce them tomorrow since it's a Friday today." She explained, finally arriving to the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Why, hello little ones! You must be new here, welcome to Hogwarts." The Fat Lady grinned widely. Her flushed cheeks squeezed together and her giant dimples creased her face. She clapped her hands together and giggled some. "Actually," responded Harry, who had been quiet for quite some time, "We're in our seventh year here."

Ron snickered slightly and she became redder with embarrassment. "Preposterous! You think I'm some kind of idiot? Of course I knew that, I was only making a joke. I learned that from old Charles and Nicholas down in the poker picture." She chuckled nervously, "Um, password, my dears?"

Harry and Ron both turned to Hermione, who had a brow raised and was taping her foot quickly. She cleared her throat and straightened her back. "Jobberknoll." She stated firmly, smiling some as the portrait swung open with a creak. All three stepped in side, saying hello to some friends.

"What's a jobberknoll?" Whispered Ron in Harry's ear. Harry shrugged in return. He was about to speak want Hermione interrupted, grinning brightly.

"A Jobberknoll is a tiny blue speckled bird which makes no sound until the moment of its death. When it dies it lets out a long scream consisting of all the sounds it has ever heard. Their feathers are important ingredients in making potions that affect memory." Hermione said a matter of factly.

This time it was Ron who laughed as Harry shook his head, but still smiled. They all sat down on the nearby red sofas. Hermione chatted and giggled along with Lavender. Ron and Harry became deeply interested in a conversation with Dean Thomas and Neville Longbottom about the newest Quidditch news. Collin Creevy had passed once or twice snapping pictures of the common room and the people occupying it.

Everything was fine before a high pitched scream was blown out of Lavender Brown's mouth. "Oh Merlin! It's a rat, it's a rat!" She screeched as she jumped up on her chair. Students nearby screamed and ran out of reach of the floor. Neville jumped up heroically and started stomping around on the floor trying to squash the rodent.

"Oh, KILL IT!" Yelled out a third year girl, who now resided on a chess table.

Hermione jumped up from her seat and pushed Neville aside. "Don't!" She hollered, grabbing it off the floor and holding it protectively. "It's not a rat, it's a Niffler!"

"What's the difference? It's still disgusting!" Said Lavender as she hesitantly dropped back into her seat. She acted as if the rodent had wanted her and only her feet. She curled up Indian style in her chair.

"Niffler's are rare! They're very different from a rat or a mouse." Hermione held up the small black fluffy long-snouted creature. "They attracted to anything they see that's shiny. They probably saw the silver buckles on your shoes."

"You're so weird sometimes, Hermione." Lavender shook her head. "I don't comprehend you most of the time."

Hermione huffed and rolled her eyes before walking off to the girl's dormitories. She transfigured an empty tissue box into a small cage and put the Niffler inside it. Opening the draw she pulled out her purse and placed a small sickle in her new pet's home. It instantly ran over to the shiny object and spread its body across it as if it were hiding it from prying eyes.

"I'll give you to Hagrid tomorrow. I'm sure he'll love you." She smiled softly as she pulled out a pair of cotton pajama shorts and tank top. Hermione tied her hair back in a small pony tail and she walked off to the bathroom to wash up. When she finished she returned to her bed and closed the curtain. She whispered goodnight to Crookshanks who had taken a liking to the foot of Hermione's bed.

The large feline curled up in a ball between Hermione's feet and he purred when she scratched his ear. Hermione smiled and lye back in her comfortable bed. She stuck her hand out of the curtain and switched off her light and finally closed her eyes.

Hermione drifted off into a sleep. A sleep she hoped was full of good memories and kindness. In the back of her head there was a small prayer her nightmares wouldn't return. She'll just have to see tomorrow morning.

**Author's Note:** Many thanks to my reviewers for the first chapter. I hope everyone is happy with this one. I made sure I wrote more than the first installment. Please leave feedback so that I may improve this story as I go. Thank you for reading!

_Ari_


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